Recycling programs may result in the collection, at collection stations, of sorted or unsorted recyclable materials, including, for example, plastic beverage bottles, aluminum beverage cans, and other recyclable materials (hereinafter collectively referred to as “recyclable materials” unless otherwise specifically indicated). In some cases, the recyclable materials are sorted at the collection stations and thereafter temporarily stored in large compressible containers such as fabric bags, in which, for example, between 1000 and 2000 beverage bottles or beverage cans can be temporarily stored, for subsequent transportation to a processing facility factory. In some cases, it may be necessary to transport collected recyclable materials a significant distance from the collection stations. However, as the recyclable materials may contain large volumes of air (for example, the volume of air in an empty plastic beverage bottles or empty aluminum beverage cans), when transporting and subsequently storing these recyclable materials, there may be significant inefficiencies and waste associated with the transporting and storing processes, as these large volumes of air are transported and stored.
It is desirable to have a portable compactor which may be transported to or installed at one or more of the collection stations, which may be utilized to receive the containers, e.g. the fabric storage bags filled with sorted recyclable materials, and thereafter compact the filled containers (and the contents thereof) and thereafter transport (and, where appropriate and/or desirable, store) the compacted recyclable materials and containers for subsequent processing of the recyclable materials. Preferably the compactor may be carried by a truck or trailer vehicle.